1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of packaging and is more particularly concerned with packaging adapted to be effected in a horizontal on-line manner for packaging chunky product or articles such as cheese, and in which the packages will be equipped with reclosable zipper means.
2. Background
A very large capital investment has been made in form, fill and seal machines for packaging numerous and varied products. In these machines the product is enclosed for commercial distribution in sealed packages, envelopes or bags. A large volume of food products of a relative chunky, heavy type such as bulk or sliced cheese, have been packaged in horizontal form, fill and seal machines.
Although the horizontal form, fill and seal machines have been in use for a long time, the only type of packaging effected has involved wrapping of the wrapping material about the product and sealing along a longitudinal line and then cross sealing to complete the package.
To gain access to the product in the packages, the wrapper, generally plastic film, must be cut or otherwise broken open. If it is desired to replace into the opened wrapper the remainder of the product which has not been consumed, assuming the wrapper has not been destroyed in the opening of it, the remainder of the product may be at least partially exposed to atmosphere and subject to drying out or other deterioration due to the exposure. Because the wrapper generally snugly engages the article it is difficult to withdraw from the partially ruptured wrapper so that the tendency is for the consumer to virtually destroy the wrapper to gain access to the article even though only partial use of the article is contemplated. This may require rewrapping in foil or household wrapping film in an attempt to retain freshness.
Although zipper equipped bags have been known for a long time and are widely used both for commercially packaged products, and unfilled bags have been supplied in large numbers for household use as sandwich bags, and the like, there has never insofar as we are aware been supplied a package produced on a conventional horizontal form, fill and seal machine and equipped with zipper means so that the package can be reclosed after access has been gained to the product in the package.